Media releases

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has prosecuted an excavation contractor and its subsidiary company for a primary duty offence and two severe risk breaches following ongoing contraventions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

An investigation led by the NHVR discovered that the Sydney-based excavation contractor had incurred 20 mass breaches and received 94 defect notices over a 15-month period.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has prosecuted a logging company and its Director based in Tasmania, following pleas of guilty to serious offences under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
 
An extensive investigation by the NHVR revealed ongoing fatigue breaches by the company. Over a 12-month period, the company had 251 fatigue-related breaches which were undetected by the company and Director. Due to the management of these practices, charges were laid under sections 26G and 26H of the HVNL.
 

A consignor of timber goods has pleaded guilty to one category two offence under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and was convicted and fined $75,000 at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

The consignor had breached its safety duty by exposing drivers and members of the public to the risk of death or serious injury by failing to comply with section 26G of the HVNL.

One hundred and twenty-five bridges and culverts in 33 different councils will receive funded engineering assessments as part of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP), supported by the Australian Government. 

The bridges and culverts were selected based on whether the locations were on priority freight routes, and would deliver potential improved access for heavy vehicles.

Once-off funding to support the development and delivery of Chain of Responsibility (CoR) training and education projects is now available, with $1.7 million being invested to help boost safety across the supply chain.

The funding will support businesses who use heavy vehicle transport to deliver tailored training programs focused on the CoR.

Grants will be awarded to projects aimed at educating participants on how to improve the safety of heavy vehicle transport activities.

The NHVR has today released its 2023 Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy Action Plan which sets out the key safety priorities for the next 12 months.

The Action Plan supports the delivery of the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy 2021-25, which outlines the regulator’s ambitions for achieving better heavy vehicle safety outcomes and reducing the number and seriousness of crashes involving heavy vehicles.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has partnered with AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, to deliver a fatigue exemption notice enabling emergency service agencies to manage vehicle operations more effectively while preparing for emergencies.

There are only four weeks left for the heavy vehicle industry to apply for crucial project funding through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI).

The Australian Government will provide approximately $4 million towards Round 8 of the HVSI, to support tangible, implementable industry-led heavy vehicle safety projects that address an existing issue for the transport and logistics sector and all road users.

Submissions close at 5pm AEST Monday 20 February 2023.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is urging operators to check their brakes after recent intercepts in the Blue Mountains region found that 5.2 per cent of heavy vehicles inspected had a brake defect, 14 per cent of which were major.

NHVR Director of Operations Central Region Brett Patterson said that the results of these intercepts, which took place at the Mount Boyce Safety Station late last year, were particularly concerning given the road environment in the Blue Mountains.